MOSCOW, November 16 - Russia and India may sign an agreement on the protection of intellectual property rights in early December, the Indian defense minister said Wednesday.

Pranab Mukherjee said after a session of the bilateral commission for military and technical cooperation that the text of the agreement had been coordinated and it could be signed during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s visit to Russia.

He said the bilateral agreement on the creation of multipurpose cargo aircraft could also be signed during Singh`s visit.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said the agreement was highly important as it "opened new prospects for bilateral military and technical cooperation."

The designing of the fifth generation aircraft and multipurpose cargo aircraft were key trends in the bilateral military cooperation.

He also said India was Russia`s only military partner with whom the country had a long-term cooperation plan (until 2010).
sections: Politics, World News